Welsh Harp
Lying just a few minutes from the busy North Circular Road in London, Brent Reservoir, or the Welsh Harp as it is locally known, provides an oasis of calm in the midst of the metropolis.
What to spot at Brent Reservoir
Wildlife: Breeding wetland birds, particularly the great crested grebe. Several orchid species and a wonderful array of butterflies.
Opening times: Open all year.
Access/Conditions: Footpath to water’s edge.
Facilities: There are two bird hides at the site with access available through the Welsh Harp Conservation Group. The site has an interpretation board and information leaflet.
How to get there: A few minutes away from junction 1 of the M1 motorway, the A406 (North Circular Road) and the A5 (Edgeware Road). From the A5 turn into Cool Oak Lane the reservoir is straight ahead. The closest railway station is Hendon.
Parking: Car parks are available at the Welsh Harp Open Space, Cool Oak Lane and the Youth Sailing Base.
Grid ref: TQ 217 873
Brent reservoir is a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest. On a summer’s day dragonflies hum and butterflies flutter across a large expanse of reedbed supporting several orchids including the southern marsh, common spotted, pyramidal and bee. Crisp winter mornings bring fantastic views of feeding duck and wildfowl. Amongst the reed and sedge warblers watch out for the kingfisher, heron, tawny owl, black cap and chiff chaff.
Covering over 51 hectares the site has an underground bat hibernation site where pipestrelle and noctule bats have been recorded.
Originally the lake was formed by the confluence of two brooks that were dammed in the mid 1830s to supply the Grand Union Canal with water. The reservoir was enlarged in 1851 and the area became a fashionable centre for angling and birdwatching.
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